OUR PICKSCan Martial Law Happen in America? | Domestic Terrorism: How the US Legal System is Falling Short | The UnitedHealthcare Gunman Understands the Surveillance State, and more

Can Martial Law Happen in America?  (David French, New York Times)
As the drama played out in South Korea, this question should be asked: Can this happen here? Can an American president — or any other American leader — create a similar political emergency? The short answer is no. The longer answer is yes — if a president (or a governor) exploits ambiguities in American law.
We have long trusted presidents not to abuse their power, and most presidents have proven worthy of that trust. Trump is not. While we can hope that the courts and Congress will restrain him in his second term, American law gives him more power than he should rightfully possess.

USDA Issues Order Requiring Bird-Flu Testing of National Milk Supply  (Brett Rowland, The Center Square)
The federal government issued an order Friday that mandates the national milk supply be tested for bird flu. Bird flu has infected more than 500 dairy herds in California and more than 700 nationwide since March. Almost 60 people contracted the virus, mostly farm workers, according to the government.

Trump Could Hobble Renewed Fight Against Domestic Terrorism, Analysts Warn  (Hannah Allam, Washington Post)
Based on his first-term record, researchers expect the next Trump administration to shift the government’s focus from white supremacists and other far-right militants.

Domestic Terrorism: How the US Legal System is Falling Short  (Camden Carmichael et al. ICCT)
Despite a rapid increase in domestic terrorism investigations in the United States, the threat that domestic terrorism poses to the homeland remains unclear. This is due to a lack of a comprehensive domestic terrorism legal framework that fully encompasses the variety of ideological groups present in the US.

Top Ten EFF Digital Security Resources for People Concerned About the Incoming Trump Administration  (Cooper Quintin and Eva Galperin, EFF)
In the wake of the 2024 election in the United States, many people are concerned about tightening up their digital privacy and security practices. As always, we recommend that people start making their security plan by understanding their risks.

Trump vs. Cleveland: A Tale of Two Tariff Strategies  (Matthew Rozsa, Reason)
Grover Cleveland fought high tariffs as a “communism of pelf.” Trump embraces them as an economic cornerstone.

Deployment of the U.S. Military for Immigration Enforcement: A Primer  (Elizabeth Goitein, Just Security)
The prospect of heavy military involvement in immigration enforcement has generated alarm in many quarters. But the authorities that Trump might summon—and the hurdles he might face in using them—are not widely understood.

Kash Patel’s Threats Against Journalists Make Him an Alarming Choice to Run the FBI (Jacob Sullum, Reason)
“We’re gonna come after the people in the media,” the Trump stalwart warns. “Whether it’s criminally or civilly, we’ll figure that out.”

Kash Patel, Donald Trump’s Wizard, Wants to Reform the FBI  (Economist)
But his list of political enemies would be a scary place to start.

The UnitedHealthcare Gunman Understands the Surveillance State  (Juliette Kayyem, The Atlantic)
When cameras are everywhere, a killer can adjust accordingly.

Keeping Your Personal Data Safe in the Age of Trump  (Leah Feiger, Wired)
Our security and business editors join us to discuss how you can protect your personal information from data brokers, tech companies, scammers, and the government.